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From: brkirby@watdragon.UUCP (Bruce Kirby)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Frenchmen getting bombed, why them?
Message-ID: <1551@watdragon.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 5-Oct-86 17:58:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: watdrago.1551
Posted: Sun Oct  5 17:58:09 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Oct-86 09:44:55 EDT
References: <7206@sri-spam.ARPA> <1063@ucbcad.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: brkirby@watdragon.UUCP (Bruce Kirby)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 35

In article <1068@ucbcad.BERKELEY.EDU> hijab@cad.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Raif Hijab) writes:
>In article <2001@homxb.UUCP> sdu@homxb.UUCP (S.USISKIN) writes:
>>For example, when the Isrealis catch a terrorist, they
>>bulldoze his family's home.  People then fear for their family,
>>even if they don't fear for themselves.  
>>Not that I think reprisals really do any good, but thats the theory
>>behind it.  Actually, I think reprisals, even if they work, are on
>>morally shaky ground.  Its like sinking down to their level.
>
>I truly appreciate Suzanne U.'s remark about the shaky moral ground
>for Israel's actions in the occupied territories. Still I have to
>question why a people opposing a brutal occupation are terrorists,
>when World War II fighters in the French Resistance were considered
>heroes. The double standard makes me sick. 

In many ways, the resistance were terrorists. The germans certainly looked
at them that way.  Generally, the only difference between 'freedom
fighters' and 'terrorists' is whether you agree or disagree with what they
are fighting for.  

The standard definiton for terrorism is that it is some action designed to
produce terror (a nice recursive definition.)  This usually means that
civilians are attacked.  In other words, the PLO, the IRA, the ANC, the
Contras and the US air force are all 'terrorist' organizations.  The ALL
believe that the violence they use is justified and necessary, and see
themselves acting in self-defense while their opponents are the terrorists.

	Bruce Kirby
-----------------------
	I mean...you want to know if I'm moral enough to join the army, burn
	women, kids, houses and villages, after being a litterbug?
		- A. Guthrie
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CSNET:	brkirby@waterloo.csnet
UUCP: 	{decvax|utzoo|ihnp4|allegra}!watmath!watdragon!brkirby